it's probably been said 100 times already I think the band's on autopilot mode they're just creating the same album over and over and I said this to my friend, they're progressive metal but there's no progression.

Haven't listened to this yet, but from the looks of things it's better than ADTOE, which was my favorite DT album in a while. Not every song was perfect, but it was the most refreshed and natural sounding the band has been in a while. The two albums before it were sort of forced sounding to me. Plus, Breaking All Illusions is one of my favorite songs by DT.

As for Awake, it's good but not one of my favorites. Erotomania is a cool instrumental, The Mirror/Lie is a great metal song (I always listen to them together as one song), The Silent Man a nice acoustic song, and Space-Dye Vest just an all-around cool song, but nothing else on the album ever really caught my attention.

Also, is Illumination Theory basically one long song stretched out over 20 minutes like how Count of Tuscany is, or does it consist of a bunch of different "sections" that build into each other like Octavarium and Six Degrees? (or Rush's 2112)

Destructeror: Not only does Mangini hold something like 3 world's fastest drummer records, but the man can play his kit nearly ambidextrously. The cymbals are pitched differently on each side as well, so he has a bigger sonic palette. His kit's toms are also in an apex formation, allowing ascending fills to be played easier and sound better as well. Not to mention his monstrous one-handed roll...

When I saw him live he played snare parts from Portnoy's songs with one hand that Portnoy needed two for. In his drum clinics he plays subdivisions on different limbs that boggle the mind.

Having skills (and a setup) like his, can ALLOW you to be more creative than other drummers.

"ADTOE, which was my favorite DT album in a while.... As for Awake, it's good but not one of my favorites. Erotomania is a cool instrumental, The Mirror/Lie is a great metal song (I always listen to them together as one song), The Silent Man a nice acoustic song, and Space-Dye Vest just an all-around cool song, but nothing else on the album ever really caught my attention."